Good Afternoon everyone
The Book that I have chosen is “Waiting for your Cat to Bark” by Bryan and Jeffrey Eisenberg
Purpose to choose this book
I have chosen this book because of its title. The title is somewhat strange but very appealing. It completely summarizes the situation of many Marketers today. That is they are waiting for their customers to respond to marketing and advertising in the same way as they used to years before.
Introduction
The book “Waiting for your Cat to Bark” is broadly about Marketing and Persuasion. Customer’s way of behaving in the past, is compared to dogs, while modern customers’ behavior is compared to cats. But why Dogs and cats?
Well, it is much ...view middle of the document...
Today with the advent of Social Media and cable TV, it is virtually impossible to reach 90% of potential market as it was the case previously where families used to unite everyday in front of their TV. The tables have turned; Consumers now choose when and how they engage with businesses through Emerging Social Media.
We are witnessing a change in the way media is consumed. Emerging Social Media offers so many options that it has revealed a “Personal Experience” economy where customers are in control. They are behaving more like cats by paying attention only to information that matters to them.
Nowadays, customers are constantly asking “what in it for me”. This is the fundamental question to be addressed by marketers. The role of marketers today has become to create persuasive systems that anticipates and models customers’ needs. Marketers are expected to come up with creative ways in order to target the right population for their products/services (known as Segmentation).
b. Branding
It talks about how branding is evolving nowadays. Today establishing and sustaining name recognition alone is not sufficient. Consumers today associate brands not only with a message but with their entire experience surrounding the product and service. Marketers are expected to establish connections between products and services and customer’s felt needs. Everything is about personalization.
Also, it is said that in order to market a product, the appropriate need of the consumer needs to be identified .However since, it is quite difficult to target the exact need, Marketers should aim higher on the Maslow’s pyramid and messages should be devised to address their audiences need for self actualization.
For example: Coca-Cola taught the world to sing and became the “real thing.” Choosing Coke meant being authentic and part of a global experience. Pepsi-Cola became the drink of a New Generation. If you drank Pepsi, you were a socially adept participant in a happy, happening experience.
c. Advertising
The evolvement from Mass Marketing to increased use of Segmented Marketing has brought along a change in the face of advertising as well. Advertisements can no longer reach a mass population nor can be imposed on consumers. Consumers shape their own experience. For example Digital Video recorders allow people to skip though advertisements & altogether avoid advertisements that do not interest them.
Today, there are an array of niche channels like the Food Network, the History Channel, and the Sci-Fi Channel where specialized ads can be placed and ensure...